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“Empower students to learn for life and strive for excellence so that they can contribute
positively to the global society.”
Topic: Classifying Living Things: Microorganisms
L.O: I can identify microbes and state their characteristics
Topic: Classifying Living Things: Microorganisms
L.O: I can identify microbes and state their characteristics
Microorganisms, more commonly
known as
, bugs or microbes,
are tiny living organisms too small
to be seen with the naked eye. They
are found almost everywhere on
earth. Some microbes are beneficial
and others can be harmful to
humans. Although extremely small,
microbes come in many different
shapes and sizes. There are three
main groups of microbes:
- Virus
- Bacteria
- Fungi
Biologists estimate that
380 trillion viruses are
living on and inside your
body right now—10 times
the number of bacteria.
Some can cause illness, but
many simply coexist with
you. Many of the viruses
living inside us do not
target our cells. Instead
they look for the bacteria
in our microbiomes.
Topic: Classifying Living Things: Microorganisms
L.O: I can identify microbes and state their characteristics
Viruses
Fungi
Bacteria
Topic: Classifying Living Things: Microorganisms
L.O: I can identify microbes and state their characteristics
The usefulness of Fungi
- Fungi are a vital source of food.
- Yeast is a unicellular fungus used
in the production of bread in
bakeries.
- Vitamin B is also produced by
yeast.
- Like bacteria, fungi are excellent
decomposers.
- A fungus called Penicillium
notatum produces penicillin, an
essential antibiotic
While working at St Mary's Hospital in London
in 1928, Scottish physician Alexander Fleming
was the first to experimentally determine that
a Penicillium mould secretes an antibacterial
substance, which he named "penicillin"
Topic: Classifying Living Things: Microorganisms
help in decomposition
L.O: I can identify microbes and stateFungi
their characteristics
Topic: Classifying Living Things: Microorganisms
L.O: I can identify microbes and state their characteristics
Topic: Classifying Living Things: Microorganisms
L.O: I can identify microbes and state their characteristics
Topic: Classifying Living Things: Microorganisms
L.O: I can identify microbes and state their characteristics
CLASS
TASK
Topic: Classifying Living Things: Microorganisms
L.O: I can identify microbes and state their characteristics
Answers
Bacteria
Bacteria
Fungi
Virus
Fungi
Bacteria
MOLD
are forms of fungus / fungi. They are
different from other fungi in several ways. They are
larger than yeasts, which usually have only one
cell, but they do not have the large, visible
structures that mushrooms have. There are
thousands of different species or types of mold.
They grow in moist places throughout the world,
both indoors and outside.
Like other fungi, molds cannot produce their own
food. Some molds feed on living things, but most
feed on the dead tissues of plants and animals.
These can be in the form of leaves that have fallen
from a tree, or they can be products made from
plants or animals, including foods, paper, fabric,
and many others.
Most molds reproduce by releasing thousands of
tiny spores. The spores can be carried long
distances by air currents, water, or passing animals.
If the spore lands on a suitable surface it will take
root to form the first strands of the new mold.
Watch this video
Topic: Classifying Living Things: Microorganisms
L.O: I can identify microbes and state their characteristics
Making medicine from mould
Topic: Classifying Living Things: Microorganisms
L.O: I can identify microbes and state their characteristics
Check for understanding by asking the following questions:
1. What are the most common types of microbe?
2. What are germs?
3. Where is a microbe found?
4. Are all microbes harmful?
5. What are the different shapes of bacteria?
6. How is the penicillium mould grown?
Topic: Classifying Living Things: Microorganisms
L.O: I can identify microbes and state their characteristics
Answers
(1) What are the most common types of microbe?
There are three main types of microbes known as bacteria, viruses and fungi.
(2) What are germs?
A germ is another name used to describe a harmful microbe.
(3) Where is a microbe found?
Microbes are found EVERYWHERE, floating around in the air we breathe, on the food we eat, on the
surface of our bodies, in our mouth, nose and gut/tummy.
(4) Are all microbes harmful?
No, although there are microbes which can be harmful to us there are also a lot of microbes that are very
useful to us, for example, Saccharomyces (fungi) is a yeast that is used to help bread rise, Lactobacillus
(bacteria) help make yogurt and cheese.
(5) What are the different shapes of bacteria?
Spirals (Campylobacter), Rods (Lactobacilli) and Balls (Staphylococcus).
(6) How is the penicillium mould grown?
The mold is grown with sugars and other ingredients through deep-tank fermentation until the penicillin is
able to be separated from the mold. Once separated, penicillin can finally be purified and will be ready for
use as an antibiotic.
Topic: Classifying Living Things: Microorganisms
L.O: I can identify microbes and state their characteristics
Extension